Stackable tray for holding, displaying, and transporting a plurality of containers and lifting device and method of handling directed thereto

ABSTRACT

A method of handling containers, for instance beverage containers, such as bottles, flasks, cans, etc. that shall be distributed to retailers in shallow trays suitable for display purposes. The trays are constructed to enable several container-loaded trays to be stacked one upon the other. Container-loaded trays are lifted by moving a number of carrier-supported grippers (9) into a corresponding number of upwardly open holes (6) provided in the tray in interspaces between the containers. The lifting devices are brought into engagement with the walls defining the holes and the tray can then be lifted and handled with the tray suspended by the carrier (8).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method of handling containers, forinstance beverage containers, such as bottles, flasks, cans etc., thatare to be distributed to retailers in shallow trays which are suitablefor displaying the containers and which enable several trays to bestacked one upon the other in layers. The invention also relates to atray and to a lifting device for use when carrying out the method.

Efforts are constantly being made in the brewery industry, among others,for more rational methods of increasing productivity. The customers,normally retailers, place demands on flexibility when ordering differentitems of goods and wish for the goods to be delivered in a manner whichdisplays the goods to their customers in turn.

For instance, there is a general wish for beverage containing bottles tobe delivered in shallow trays which can be stacked one upon the otherand in which the bottles can be clearly seen, instead of using deepcrates. In this regard, it is also desired that stacks of mutuallydifferent sorts of beverages can be loaded onto a pallet, e.g. athree-stack pallet.

Beverage containing bottles for instance are normally handled inbreweries in deep boxes or crates, therewith making it necessary totransfer the bottles into trays of a kind in which the bottles aresuitably displayed. This constitutes an expensive procedure at presentday costs.

In order to facilitate handling stacks of present day trays, it isnecessary first to place respective stacks on a small "slave pallet" andthen place this slave pallet on a pallet of standard size. This isnecessary because, among other things, the trays are so weak that astack corresponding, for instance, to half the size of a standard palletor to a third of the size of a pallet cannot be lifted solely byapplying a lifting force to the bottom most tray. Consequently, it isnecessary to lift the stack with the aid of a separate slave palletadapted to the stack. Handling of such a stack in a brewery with the aidof a pallet trolley or the like is also problematic because of theinstability of the stack.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The prime object of the present invention is to provide a techniquewhereby containers, particularly brewery-handled beverage containers,can be handled in a simple, rational and reliable manner that does notrequire containers to be moved from crate to tray and vice versa, andthat will also enable a stack of trays and containers to be handledeffectively and smoothly in a brewery and that will facilitate loadingof a pallet with stacks that contain mutually different products.

Accordingly, a method of the kind defined in the first paragraph ischaracterized in accordance with the present invention in that acontainer-loaded tray is lifted by inserting a plurality ofcarrier-supported lifting devices into a corresponding number ofupwardly open holes in the tray located in the interspaces between thecontainers, and bringing the lifting devices into engagement withrespective hole-defining walls and thereafter lifting the tray andhandling said tray with the tray suspended beneath the carrier.

Among other things, this enables the container-loaded tray to be liftedwith the aid of lifting devices that require no space outside the trayperimeter, therewith enabling such a tray to be placed closely adjacentto one another on a loading pallet.

Lifting of a stack of container-loaded trays is preferably achieved bybringing the lifting devices into engagement with mutually sequential,through-penetrating holes in the tray and into engagement withrespective hole-defining walls in each tray.

This technique enables a stack of any chosen height to be lifted andhandled without the use of a slave pallet, even when using thin-walltrays. This is made possible as a result of the distribution of thelifting force between the trays such that each tray will support its ownload. Furthermore, the stack will hang from the carrier and be guidedtotally by the lifting devices, therewith obviating the risk of thestack toppling.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the lifting devices are broughtinto engagement with the defining walls of respective holes by means ofan element which is expanded into pressing engagement with saidhole-defining walls.

A tray and a lifting device for carrying out the inventive method havethe special characteristic features set forth in the following claims.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference toexemplifying embodiments thereof and also with reference to theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates the bottom of an inventive tray.

FIG. 1A illustrates part of the bottom shown in FIG. 1 in larger scale.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the tray in FIG. 1 taken on the line A--Ain said Figure and illustrates bottles seated in the tray with said trayhanging from a lifting device.

FIG. 3 is a view corresponding to the view of FIG. 2 but showing analternative embodiment of the lifting device.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line B--B in FIG. 1 andillustrating part of a tray filled with bottles.

FIG. 5 is a section view corresponding to the view of FIG. 4 showing astack of bottle-containing trays.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are views corresponding to the view of FIG. 2, showinganother embodiment of the lifting device with the lifting devicesinserted in respective lifting positions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The reference numeral 1 in FIG. 1 identifies the perimeter wall of ashallow bottle-receiving plastic tray. The tray may be injection mouldedfrom plastic material, for instance from crushed or ground plasticbottles. The illustrated tray includes 4×8 seats 2 for receiving bottles3, see also FIG. 2 for instance. The seats 2 have the form of thin-wallcylindrical cups 24 which may be stiffened with the aid of a lattice ofstiffening ribs 4, among other things. The cups 24 need not be allsurrounding, but may be comprised of four mutually separated sections ofa cylindrical wall. The trays are constructed in a manner which willenable empty stacks to be nested one in the other.

Each seat 2 has a centre hole 5. When stacking together several tiers ofbottle-containing trays, the heads or capsules of bottles 3 located in alower tier or layer are able to project up and support against thebottoms of bottles in the overlying tier.

Disposed in the spaces between diagonally situated seats 2 arethrough-penetrating holes 6 of which some, at least four and in the FIG.1 embodiment six, are evenly distributed from the aspect of equilibriumand which are provided with reinforced wall-parts 7. Thesereinforcements comprise reinforcing ridges which extend in thelongitudinal direction of the holes and are required particularly alongthose parts of the holes 6 that are not delimited by the cylindricalcups 24 of the seats 2. These cups may possibly have sufficient rigidityin themselves, since they are supported by bottles 3 placed in the seats2. The holes 6 can be given a circular shape with the aid of thereinforcing elements 7, which is beneficial for reasons that will beexplained below. However, the reinforcing element may alternatively havesome other configuration, provided that this other configuration willnot complicate manufacture.

The described tray may conveniently be dimensioned to enable two orthree trays to be placed on a EUR-pallet, therewith enabling threedifferent sorts of beverage to be displayed on one single pallet in astore or shop for instance. Because of the low height of sides 1 of thetray, essentially all bottles 3 will be presented for view in anattractive manner.

As will be seen from FIGS. 2 and 4 for instance, a tray of theaforedescribed kind is handled in a brewery by lifting the tray with theaid of lifting devices suspended from a carrier means 8. The liftingdevices have the form of rods 13 that can be moved down into the spacesformed diagonally between the bottles 3 and into the holes 6 ofrespective trays. The rods 13 are provided with grippers 9 for coactionwith the walls defining respective holes 6.

The gripper of the FIG. 2 embodiment is comprised of a rubber cuff 9disposed around a tube 10. Compressed air can be delivered through thetube 10 to a sealed space 11 in the cuff 9, so as to expand the cuffinto abutment with its respective hole-defining wall.

The hole 6 suitably has an upwardly tapering shape, which is generatedautomatically when the hole is delimited by the bottle seats 2.Alternatively, the hole may be provided at its upper end with inwardlyprojecting flanges or the like.

Very frequent re-use of the trays in conjunction with fast workinglifting devices will subject the trays to heavy loads as seen totallyand also to a great deal of wear. This also applies to the grippers 9.Because the tray is comprised generally of very thin walls, it istherefore necessary with this in mind to reinforce those holes 6 thatare to serve as lifting holes. As described above, reinforcement of saidholes is conveniently achieved with the aid of reinforcing ridges 7 orthe like which extend in the longitudinal direction of the holes alongat least those parts of those holes 6 that are not delimited by adjacentbottle receiving seats 2. The cylindrical shape of the holes 6 that canbe obtained hereby results in a considerable reduction in wear on therubber cups 9, since it is therewith unnecessary for different parts ofthe cuffs to expand into the essentially wedge-shaped recesses formedbetween the walls of the bottle seats 2, in different workingoperations.

FIGS. 2 and 4 show the grippers 9 in their active modes, i.e. the trayconcerned hangs from the carrier 8 and can be maneuvered as desired withno part of the tray protruding beyond the tray perimeter. This enablesthe trays to be placed close together on a pallet, among other things.

FIG. 3 illustrates an alternative method of expanding a gripper 9. Inthis case, there is provided a lower, suitably conical rubber-cuffclamping ring 12 is mounted on a rod 13 that can be moved up and downrelative to an outer tube 14 to which the upper end of the rubber cuff 9is sealingly affixed. The rod 13 can be maneuvered with the aid ofcompressed air, which is delivered and evacuated through supply andexhaust passages 16 and 17 on respective sides of a plunger 18 connectedto the rod 13.

FIG. 3 illustrates the state of the arrangement in which the plunger 18has lifted the rod 13 and the rubber cuff 9 has therewith beencompressed axially so as to expanded radially into pressing abutmentwith the walls of the conical hole 6. The tray can thus be lifted withthe aid of the carrier 8.

The tray is released by driving the plunger 18 downwards, therewithforcibly moving the rubber cuff 9 out of engagement with thehole-defining walls.

FIG. 5 illustrates how the lifting principle described with reference toFIGS. 2 and 4 can be used to lift a complete stack of bottle-containingtrays.

The lifting holes are provided in the trays so as to be located inregister with one another and therewith form a hole which penetratesthrough the entire stack. By constructing the lifting device in the formof a rod 23 provided with grippers 9 and passing through said hole, forinstance with the design illustrated in FIG. 2, at the levels of theholes 6 through respective trays, the entire stack can be lifted withoutneeding to use a bottom slave pallet or the like. This is made possiblebecause the trays are lifted by associated grippers 9, therewithenabling each tray to support its own weight. The bottom tray will nottherefore be subjected to any greater load than any of the other trays.

When using grippers of the kind illustrated in FIG. 2 for instance, allgrippers will operate essentially in synchronism with one another whendelivering compressed air thereto.

It will be understood that the rubber cuffs can be replaced withexpandable grippers in the form of plastic sleeves or the like forinstance. One such gripper is illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. The gripperof this embodiment comprises a slotted plastic sleeve 19 which ismounted on a tube 22 and which can be caused to expand through themedium of a conical member 20 made of steel or some like material. Theconical member 20 can be driven with the aid of a plunger 18 in acorresponding manner to the bottom clamping ring 12 of the FIG. 3embodiment. FIG. 6 illustrates the plunger 18 in its bottom position, inwhich the plastic sleeve 19 is out of contact with the hole-definingwalls 6.

FIG. 7 shows the plunger 18 in its upper position, to which it has beenpressed with the aid of compressed air delivered via the passage 16. Theconical member 20 has thus been pulled up by the rod 21, causing theplastic sleeve 19 to expand into engagement with the defining walls ofthe hole 6. The tray can therewith be lifted by the carrier 8 andhandled as desired.

As will be understood, the rod of this embodiment can be lengthened soas to extend through a complete stack of trays wherewith it includes aconical member 20 which is adapted to coact with an expansion sleeve 19at those levels which correspond to the levels of the holes 6 inrespective tiers of trays.

An important advantage afforded by the invention is that when handling acomplete stack of trays, the trays are forcibly held in their correctpositions relative to one another without risk of the stack toppling.When placing several stacks adjacent one another on a loading pallet,for instance three stacks, the stacks can be locked effectively inrelation to one another by pressing down an empty tray centrally oversome of the upper bottles in the stacks. This empty tray will bind thestacks together, therewith greatly increasing stability.

The invention enables bottles and the like to be handled directly inbreweries with the aid of said trays, therewith eliminating the need forconventional crates and bottle plucking stations. As a result of thesimplified handling of stacks of trays filled with ready-capped bottles,stacks of different sorts can be readily mixed on pallets in accordancewith the wishes of the retail customer. Furthermore, bottles may beplaced in trays constructed in accordance with the invention directlyfrom the bottle manufacturing line and delivered in this way to thebreweries. This will save otherwise necessary packaging whilesimplifying handling in the brewery.

Although the invention has been described with reference to exemplifyingembodiments thereof it will be understood that modifications can be madein several respects within the scope of the following claims. A commonfeature of all tray embodiments is that even trays that have low outerwalls which do not extend to a height that enables the walls to begripped at those levels at which the bottles taper off can be grippedand lifted with the aid of grippers that can be moved down into holes inthe tray and which require no space outside the tray defining walls. Theshape and number of the holes can be varied as desired. Different typesof grippers may also be used, provided that the grippers can be operatedquickly and reliably, with small wear on both grippers and trays.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of handling containers disposed in seatsformed in a shallow tray that will suitably display the containers andthat will enable several tiers of shallow trays containing saidcontainers to be stacked one on the other, said methodcomprising:inserting lifting devices down into a corresponding number ofthrough-holes formed in said shallow tray containing said containers,said through-holes formed between at least some of said seats and formedto taper radially outwardly along at least a longitudinal portion ofsaid through-holes from a top of said through-holes to a bottom of saidthrough-holes; engaging said lifting devices with walls of saidthrough-holes of said shallow tray containing said containers; andlifting said shallow tray containing said containers.
 2. A methodaccording to claim 1, wherein a stacked plurality of shallow trayscontaining said containers are stacked such that said through-holes ofeach of said shallow trays containing said containers are coaxiallyaligned with said through-holes of the other of said stacked pluralityof shallow trays containing said containers, said method furthercomprising:engaging said lifting devices with walls of saidthrough-holes in at least a bottom shallow tray of said stackedplurality of shallow trays containing said containers.
 3. A methodaccording to claim 1, wherein said engaging step further comprisesexpanding an element disposed on said lifting devices into engagementwith said walls of said through-holes.
 4. A tray for handling commonly aplurality of containers, comprising:a plurality of shallow seats forreceiving said plurality of containers, said plurality of shallow seatsbeing evenly distributed over said tray; and a plurality ofthrough-holes in interspaces between said shallow seats, saidthrough-holes being situated diagonally between said seats, and saidthrough-holes tapering radially outwardly along at least a portion ofsaid through-holes in a longitudinal direction of said through-holesfrom a top of said through-holes to a bottom of said through-holes.
 5. Atray according to claim 4, wherein said through-holes are, from a weightequilibrium aspect, distributed evenly over the tray.
 6. A trayaccording to claim 4, wherein each through-hole is surrounded by fouradjacent ones of said shallow seats.
 7. A tray according to claim 6,wherein an upper portion of said through-holes are provided withflange-like projections.
 8. A tray according to claim 4, wherein saidtray is a thin-walled plastic structure, and wherein said shallow seatshave respective central openings dimensioned to allow heads ofcontainers in a lower tray forming a first tier to project up throughsaid respective central openings to contact bottoms of containers insaid tray, which forms an immediately overlying tier with respect tosaid lower tray.
 9. A tray according to claim 6, wherein saidthrough-holes comprise reinforcing wall-parts extending along alongitudinal direction of at least a portion of each of saidthrough-holes.
 10. A tray according to claim 9, wherein eachthrough-hole is delimited by four surrounding shallow seats and whereinsaid through-holes comprise reinforcing wall-parts extending along alongitudinal direction of at least a portion of each of saidthrough-holes.
 11. A lifting device for use in handling a tray accordingto claim 4, wherein said lifting device comprises:a rod insertablyprovided for said through-holes in said tray and comprises at least onegripping element disposed at an end portion of said rod, said grippingelement adapted to adopt either of a first retracted position and asecond extended position, said retracted position corresponding to astate wherein said gripping element has a diameter smaller than saidthrough-holes and said second extended position corresponding to a statewherein said gripping element contacts inner wall portions of saidthrough-holes.
 12. A lifting device according to claim 11, wherein aplurality of gripping elements are provided at points along said rodcorresponding to positions of said through-holes of each tray of a stackof container-loaded trays, and wherein said gripping elements can beactuated for simultaneous engagement with all trays in said stack.
 13. Alifting device according to claim 12, wherein said gripping elementcomprises a rubber cuff that can be expanded to said second extendedposition by one of compressed air and mechanical means for expandingsaid rubber cuff.
 14. A lifting device for use in handling a tray,wherein said tray is designed to commonly handle a plurality ofcontainers, wherein said tray comprises a plurality of shallow seats,for receiving said plurality of containers, and a plurality ofthrough-holes situated in interspaces between said shallow seats,wherein said lifting device comprises:a rod insertably provided for saidthrough-holes in said tray, said rod comprising a plurality of grippingelements provided at points along said rod corresponding to positions ofsaid through-holes of each tray of a stack of container-loaded trays,wherein said gripping elements can be actuated for simultaneousengagement with all trays in said stack, and wherein said grippingelements are adapted to adopt either of a first retracted position and asecond extended position, said retracted position corresponding to astate wherein said gripping element has a diameter smaller than saidthrough-holes and said second extended position corresponding to a statewherein said gripping element contacts inner wall portions of saidthrough-holes.
 15. A thin-walled tray for holding a plurality ofcontainers, comprising:a plurality of substantially cylindrical seats,and a plurality of lifting holes formed to extend through said tray atpredetermined positions between at least some of said plurality ofsubstantially cylindrical seats, said plurality of lifting holestapering radially outwardly along at least a portion of said liftingholes in a longitudinal direction of said lifting holes from a top ofsaid lifting holes to a bottom of said lifting holes, wherein a bottomportion of each of said substantially cylindrical seats furthercomprises an annular depression defining a seat hole in a center portionof said bottom portion.
 16. A tray according to claim 15, wherein saidlifting holes are evenly distributed over said tray.
 17. A trayaccording to claim 16, wherein each of said lifting holes is disposedbetween four adjacent substantially cylindrical seats.
 18. A trayaccording to claim 17, wherein said lifting holes are longitudinallyreinforced along at least a portion of said lifting holes.
 19. A trayaccording to claim 17, wherein the longitudinal reinforcement comprisesa plurality of reinforcing ridges disposed along at least a portion ofsaid lifting holes.
 20. A tray for handling commonly a plurality ofcontainers, said tray adapted to enable a plurality of container-loadedtrays to be stacked one upon the other, said tray comprising:a pluralityof upwardly open holes, which are situated in interspaces between seatsof said tray, each of said seats configured to retain a container;wherein said tray is a thin-walled plastic structure, and wherein eachof said seats has a central opening dimensioned to allow heads ofcontainers in one tier to project up through said openings and supportagainst bottoms of containers in an immediately overlying tier when aplurality of container-loaded trays are stacked one upon the other.